Mine-shaft construction



Dec. 2, 1930.-

R. v. PROCTOR 1,783,812

Filed March 5, 1929 Dec. 2, 1930. k

R. v. PROCTOR MINE SHAFT CONSTRUCTIQN Filed March 5. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT V.PROGTOR, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMMERCIAL SHEAR- IN G ANDSTAMPING COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO MINE-SHAFTCONSTRUCTION Application filed March 5, 1929. Serial No. 344,368.

This invention relates generally to mine shaft construction and moreparticularly to a mine shaft comprising a lining made up of segmentalmetal lining plates held together to form aninner lining for the shaft.

Mine shafts lined with exposed concrete are now in use but such shaftshave several disadvantages which are eliminated by the provision of ashaft embodying "my invention. Concrete shafts in time crack, therebyallowing water to enter the concrete, and if freezing alternates withthawing, the effect is to rapidly disintegrate the concrete and cause itto fall to pieces. In order to'make a concrete lined shaft effectiveagainst leakage itmines is moist, it freezes 0n the walls of the shaft.Where concrete is used as an inner lining for mine shafts, it is verydifficult to remove the ice without injuring the walls, whereas if ametal liner is employed there is no danger of injuring the liner byremoving the ice from the walls with picks or other implements. It isnecessary to removethe ice from the walls of the shafts occasionally inorder that there will be suflicient space in the shaftto allow the minemove through the shaft.

If the lining of the shaft is not waterproof, water leaks through thelining and into the shaft and meets cold air flowing down the shaft fromthe outside. If the air is cold cage to .enough it causes the waterwhich has seeped through the lining to freeze, forming icicles along theside walls of the lining. The more water-tight the lining is, the lessdanger there is of forming ice on the walls of the shaft.

. Ice can also be formed near the bottom 10f the shaft in anothermanner. If the outside temperature is very cold, as is often the case inwinter, the cold air flowing down the shaft cools it to below freezingtemperature. It sometimes happens that the weather becomes warmer andthis is often accompanied by rain which saturates the air. When thissaturated air flows down the shaft, it becomes cooled, due to theprevious inflow of very cold air, and the moisture is precipitated inthe form of ice which clings to the lining of the shaft. The'warm aircontinues to flow down the shaft and finally melts the ice which hasbeen formed. In some cases, however, due to weather conditions, the icedoes not melt, but has to be removed by mechanical means.

If an inner lining constructed in accordance with my invention isemployed, it may be thoroughly waterproofed by sealing the jointsbetween the segmental liner plates with a sealing material such as tar.

Because of the fact that when a metal liner is used the amount ofconcrete or other filling material employed is reduced, the totalcost ofa mine shaft construction made in accordance with my invention is lessthan one in which concrete alone is employed.

In the drawings, which show the present preferred embodiment of myinvention,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a mine shaft constructionembodying my invention, parts being shown in elevation, and parts be ingbroken away;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1; and

' Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the segmental liner platesemployed to form the inner lining of the shaft.

the plates together. The inner lining made up of the liner plates 3 maybe waterproofed bylining the joints between the plates with awaterproofing material such as tar.

Arranged outside of the inner liner is a lining 8 of any suitablefilling material. I prefer to use concrete in order to form this lining.Corrugated sheet iron plates 9 are arranged outside of the concretelining 8, and these corrugated sheet metal plates are belled out atpoints spaced longitudinally of the shaft, as indicated at 10. Waterrings 11 are provided in order to collect any water which contacts withthe outer surface of the concrete lining. These rings preferably areformed by shaping the corrugated sheet iron plates 9 in order to providethe water ring, but if desired the water rings may be made by simplydigging out a portion of the rock surrounding the shaft in order toprovide a space which will collect the water. Conduits 12 are embeddedin the concrete lining and are connected to the water rings in order tocarry off the water collecting in the rings and deliver it to a drainpipe, not shown. The corrugated sheet iron plates 9 are supported bylugs 12 driven into the wall of the sha t. In wet sections it ispreferred to employ wooden plugs.

If desired, the mine shaft may be divided so as to provide for downdraftand updraft by arranging a partition such as the metal partition 13shown in Figure 2 extending longitudinally of the shaft. The ends of thepartition 13 are connected to the inner lining made up of segmentalmetal plates by any desired means. Horizontal supporting members 14 andvertical supporting members 15 may be connected to and supported by thepartition 13 in order to provide a stairway 16 employed for entering andleaving the mine.

Insteadof forming the lining 8 of concrete, granulated slag or othermaterial may be used to partially replace concrete. This partialsubstitution of slag for concrete may be accomplished by building up theinner lining of segmental metal liner plates to a certain height, andlikewise building up the lining 9 made up of corrugated sheet metalplates and then pouring a concrete toe ring of about three or four feetin depth to provide a foundation for the slag. The slag is then packedin between the linings 2 and 9 until the space between these linings isfilled up. This provides an outer lining surrounding the inner metallining, which outer lining is composed mainly of slag but which has toerings of concrete spaced longitudinally of the shaft. This constructionpresents considerable economyand is very satisfactory for the reasonthat after the slag has been packed, it hardens so that it isapproximately as tough and strong as concrete.

In many cases it is unnecessary to provide any backing outside of thefilling material. This would be the case where copper Water rings areemployed.

plurality of metal liner plates connected to x form an inner lining forthe shaft, an outer lining of concrete, water rings arranged outside ofthe concrete lining, and means for draining the water connected by saidrings.

2. A mine shaft construction comprising a plurality of metal linerplates connected to form an inner lining for the shaft, an outer liningof concrete, water rings arranged outside of the concrete lining, andconduits embedded in the concrete for draining the water collected bysaid rings.

3. A mine shaft construction comprising a plurality of wrought metalsegmental liner plates connected to form an inner lining, an outerlining of concrete, and a lining of corrugated sheet iron arrangedoutside of the concrete lining, said sheet iron being belled out beyondthe wall of the shaft at points spaced longitudinally of the shaft inorder to increase the bearing surface of the concrete lining.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT V. PROCTOR.

